NEW DELHI: Rising for the second day, the Yamuna crossed almost above a metre of the “danger mark” in Delhi on Tuesday. Many people living adjacent to the river and low lying areas continued to shift to safer areas.
The river was flowing at 206.08 metres at 1 pm on Tuesday, which is above the danger mark of 205.33 metres. It may swell further after Haryana released 25,590 cusec of water from a barrage on Tuesday afternoon.
However, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the current situation is under control. The authorities on Tuesday used 13 drones to keep an eye on the rising water level. According to a Delhi government official, the river breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Monday and is now flowing at 206.25 metres.
Haryana released 25,590 cusec of water from the Hathinikund barrage at 5 pm and the water level of Yamuna is likely to reach 207.08 metres between 2 pm and 4 pm on Wednesday, the official said.
The Northern Railway has restricted the speed of trains on the Yamuna bridge to 20 kmph. If the water level crosses 206.40 metre, movement of trains on the bridge will be stopped, a railway spokesperson said.
In view of the rising level of water, authorities in Delhi have already shut the Old Iron Yamuna Bride for vehicular traffic. Senior scientist at Indian Meteorological Department Kuldeep Srivastava said rains are likely to subside in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh over the next four to five days, leading to an improvement in the situation in Delhi.
“The situation in Delhi is likely to persist for another two days. If there’s no further discharge from the Hathinikund barrage, the water level in the Yamuna will drop,” he said.
The river flows through six districts of Delhi whose low-lying areas are prone to flooding. The administration has deployed 30 boats to prevent accidental drowning.
The Delhi government has also set up tents opposite Mayur Vihar Extension to accommodate around 23,000 displaced people during flooding. Delhi revenue minister Kailash Gahlot inspected the relief camps set up by the Delhi government at Haathi Ghat and Kanchan Colony.
In 1978, the water in the river had risen to its highest-ever level of 207.49 metres, causing a devastating flood in the national capital.
